Tell us about yourself. Who are you and what do you do?
I’ve made the Pioneer Valley my home since attending UMass, Amherst for both undergrad and graduate degrees. As a composer, arranger, and songwriter I enjoy creating original music. As a music educator, I built the music program at PVPA Charter Public School and taught music there for fourteen years. In 2012, I founded Rock Voices, an 18+ community rock chorus for people who love to sing rock music which has now expanded to 16 locations and counting. Rock Voices is all about creating an opportunity for adults to rediscover the joy of singing in an environment that makes them feel accepted and supported. Our mission statement is ‘healing ourselves and others through song’. We provide financial assistance for those who demonstrate need, as money should not be an obstacle to having music in your life. Through all of this I’ve been supported by my wife and two children.
Why did you decide to become an artist?
I don’t know if anyone truly decides to become an artist; it feels like the arts choose you. I’ve studied and performed music all my life, which eventually led me to try my hand at teaching. My mission now is to bring music to people who have lost it from their lives, or haven’t done it in a very long time.
Tell us about some projects you have worked on.
I’ve formed and played in several bands over the years, starting back when I was only fifteen years old. After college some of my closest friends and I created an original rock band called Yellow Brick Ed, playing in Boston, western Mass, and even NYC. A few years later I started the indie-folk/pop band Wild-Wood, inspired by the sound of Nickel Creek. Both of these bands featured a lot of my original music, and while I’d say my songwriting has matured since then, I’m still proud of some of those early attempts. After that I gathered a few former students and some local artists to record an album of my original jazz songs. I called this The Rosewood Project, and several of the songs on it have gained international recognition (first prizes from the Billboard World Song Contest & John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and even a movie placement!). Earlier this year I created a music video parody describing what happens when a community choir has to stop rehearsals. (Click here to see my parody of Steely Dan’s Hey 19.)
Tell us about some other jobs you have had other than being an artist. What are some memorable responses you have had to your work?
I worked a variety of part time jobs in the summers during my college years. I once spent a week shoveling mulch, leading to a lifelong hatred of the smell. Another job was answering phones for a conference-booking company, which was as boring as it sounds, but I passed the time by writing parody lyrics of pop songs to entertain my co-workers. Since college I’ve been lucky enough to work as a music teacher. I think the most memorable response to my work as a teacher is when former students reach out to tell me how much they appreciated what I did for them. You don’t always get that from students while they’re in school, so it’s always a nice surprise when it happens later.
How has the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine affected your process/creating/teaching? Has anything surprised you about adjusting to this quarantine?
The COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine have changed everything about my process. We suspended all in-person rehearsals very early on in order to protect our singers and the greater community, quickly shifting gears to make the choirs an entirely online experience. Our directors hold weekly rehearsals where members can still learn and connect with their community despite not being able to meet in person. We’re in the process of producing several ‘virtual choir’ videos, and we’re even going to make a CD! Each month we’ll learn a new song, and at the end of a year we’ll release a compilation of our work. (Click here to see our first virtual choir video: Lean On Me by Bill Withers.) We all miss singing together in person, but the beauty of our new virtual format is that geographical location is no longer a limit to singing with our groups. Now anyone from anywhere can join Rock Voices and even be on our upcoming album. More information is available at rockvoices.com.